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Claims of 'War' Against T/C Construction Sector Made by Ustel

Published January 17, 2026, 11:11
Claims of 'War' Against T/C Construction Sector Made by Ustel

The 'prime minister' of the occupied territories, Unal Ustel, accused the Greek Cypriot side of waging a 'war' against the Turkish Cypriot construction sector, referring to legal proceedings for the recovery of Greek Cypriot properties. He announced new support measures for contractors and amendments to the 'law on real estate' to stimulate the market and attract foreign investment. Meanwhile, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz emphasized the need for economic interconnection between Turkey and the occupied territories, proposing that they operate as 'complementary economies'. He noted that the productive structure in the occupied territories should meet the needs of Turkey, strengthening bilateral trade, which already amounts to $2.8 billion. Yilmaz also referred to the economic cooperation protocol for 2025, worth 21 billion Turkish lira, and called for an increase in mutual investments. The discussion took place during a joint press conference in occupied Kyrenia, following a meeting with the 'platform of economic organizations'. The Turkish Vice President concluded his visit to the occupied territories late on Friday evening, leaving behind a series of statements highlighting the growing economic dependence of the occupied territories on Turkey and the effort to address the economic consequences of the actions of the Republic of Cyprus.